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The Beeper Egg Hunt allows blind and developmentally-disabled children from across the Valley participate in an Easter tradition they say many families may take for granted.(Photo: Joshua Yeager)

Every Easter, millions of children around the globe scour backyards, playgrounds and parks for brightly-painted eggs and treats.

It's a tradition Ana Mejia never thought her daughter, Valerie, who is 7 and blind, could take part in.

"Valerie was born blind. I didn't know what was going to happen," she said. "I never imagined she would be able to experience an Easter egg hunt or other activities that sighted families take for granted."

Dozens of visually-impaired and developmentally-disabled children from around the Valley gathered outside the AgVenture pavilion at the International Agri Center on Saturday to participate in the 26th annual Beeper Egg Hunt.

Valerie ran her hand through the grass, grazing a plastic egg before picking it up and excitedly bringing it up to her ear.

The eggs are outfitted with alarm-like devices so children are able to hunt them by sound and touch.

By the end of the afternoon, Valerie's decorated bag was stuffed with the special eggs.

The Beeper Egg Hunt allows blind and developmentally-disabled children from across the Valley participate in an Easter tradition they say many families may take for granted.(Photo: Joshua Yeager)

"The beepers are really cool," she said. "I found a lot."

For 26 years, the Blind Babies Foundation has worked with local farmers and volunteers to host the Beeper Egg Hunt in Tulare.

"These programs are so needed. Seeing kids pick up an Easter egg and hold it up to their ear, maybe for the first time, is incredibly heartwarming," said Leslie Gardener, whose ranch hosted the event for several years. "It's been a great partnership (with Blind Babies Foundation)."

As more children and families began to attend, a larger venue was required.

"(Blind Babies Foundation) creates a safe space so our children can enjoy things that other children take for granted," said America Rusak, whose daughter was born blind but has since regained some vision through medical services facilitated by the foundation. "The beepers are a great resource for blind children to experience this tradition."

The Blind Babies Foundation formed in 1949. The Baby Boom meant a record number of blind babies were also being born. At the time, blind children were often sent to care homes, with few resources available to families.

The foundation acted to change that practice, teaching volunteers to train families and babies so they wouldn't require a care home.

"We're there in the home, connecting families together and with medical and supportive services," said Kristi Spaite, vision impairment specialist for the foundation. "It's an often overwhelming journey for parents with medically fragile kids."

Advocates for the blind say those services remain critical today, especially in the Central Valley, where resources for the blind are lacking compared to larger areas like Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

"We're experiencing a national shortage of Teachers for the Visually Impaired, so a lot of people aren't motivated to move to rural Tulare County," said Veronica Hernandez, vice president of California Council of the Blind's Fresno chapter. "It's important to give young (visually and developmentally impaired) children the confidence to say, 'Here I am and this is what I need'."

Valerie, her bag overflowing with eggs, appeared as confident as any second grader.

"I can't wait until next year," she said.

Joshua Yeager covers water, agriculture, parks and housing for the Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register newspapers. Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.